Your Turn: March 8

:
March 7, 2014
: Updated: March 7, 2014 5:13pm

Pro-Ukrainian demonstrators marching in front of the White House on Thursday carry placards likening Russian President Vladimir Putin to Adolf Hitler. One of our readers says U.S. response to Russian aggression should be swift and substantial.

In response to the reader who questioned the wisdom of downsizing the military, I agree with Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, who is calling for a smaller, more nimble military.

In this day and age of modern technology and high government deficits, it is a first step in the right direction. It does make sense. If there is another war (God forbid), it would not be fought by the large standing army that we have now. It would be fought with high-tech weapons in a remote area far from the usual battlefields. A small, nimble army could be sent to occupy the area after the opposing foot soldiers are annihilated.

The high expense of maintaining a large number of troops could be used for other useful purposes, including reducing the government deficit. Our finest, whether in active military duty or in civilian positions, would step up and serve our country. The men and women released from active military duty now should be able to find gainful employment in the public or private sector. May God bless and guide the persons deciding what is good for our country!

Paul Foerster is absolutely right. Too many of our politicians seem to feel that denigrating their opponent is the way to get elected. They should tout their own capabilities and ideas and let the voters decide.

For those who feel they must draw a comparison between themselves and their opponent, they must remember that there is a very fine line between comparing and debasing. Like Paul, I will tend to not vote for anyone who runs a negative campaign.

It seems that Republicans haven't had enough of our young men and women killed in unnecessary wars. I see that Lindsey Graham and others want the president to go to war with Russia. They do not want to try diplomacy before engaging our troops in another war.

Bush and Cheney were responsible for killing and maiming thousands of U.S. military members, in addition to killing and maiming hundreds of thousands of Iraq and Afghanistan citizens. I guess these people don't care how many of our young people they kill as long as it's not one of theirs.

Bill Zulaica

Religious freedom

Re: “Political pandering,” Your Turn, March 3:

Dale Donovan is absolutely right. It was Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, among other founding fathers, who insisted that a “wall of separation” exist between the government and any church. It is an interpretation of our Constitution's guarantee of freedom of and from religion.

No one is trying to “silence all religion.” But this country is not a theocracy and, to be fair to all, its government must remain just and neutral. Donovan may practice his religion to his heart's and soul's content, as long as it is not imposed upon persons of other faiths or persons with no religious belief system. It seems that the more religiously devout a person is, the more intolerant of others he becomes. Ours is a pluralistic society that allows people to follow their own conscience, as long as it is not imposed upon others.

The U.S. response to the Russian incursion into Ukraine should be as swift as the Russian incursion.

There are various nonmilitary, unilateral options that might be put into effect rather quickly, among them: freeze Russian assets, cancel trade talks and pending trade agreements, cancel international monetary exchange privileges, deny visas and travel by Russian citizens, proceed with planned military exercises in the Black Sea, begin transfer of military supplies out of Afghanistan to Ukraine, cancel U.S. participation in the Sochi Paralympics and petition the IOC to cancel the games, expel Russia from the G-8 and hold the then-G-7 conference in Kiev to show support for the fledgling democratic leaning government. We could also reintroduce the missile shield deployment to Western leaning bordering countries.

These (mostly) nonmilitary actions would demonstrate American resolve as we rally our allies to join us in imposing similar consequences. These actions can also quickly be reduced when Russia realizes the cost and removes its troops. The consequences end after Russia leaves Crimea. It should be up to the Ukrainian people to democratically decide, as they recently did.